MTX Mototrax

March 26, 2004

We get to play as Travis Pastrana (legendary racer and freestyle rider), as well as 12 other proriders. We get to play in all of the motocross disciplines, including arenabased supercross, mud-carving motocross and trick-filled freestyle. And we get to perform ‘big-air’. We’ve been here before, right? What else does MTX offer?

There’s a very complete Career mode, which offers a more interesting proposition to the standard extreme racer. As you progress through the ranks – based on the decisions you make and how much money you have earned from previous wins – you can upgrade the bikes and buy better gear. However, with rather uncompetitive opposition and some unforgiving controls when attempting tricks, a lot of time is spent with your face in the mud and dropping from last to first, but then effortlessly reappearing in front again. The basic controls are easy to master and you do get a certain twisted satisfaction from playing this game; whether it’s from landing your machine into a pit of foam at Pastrana’s training compound, or pulling off a stylish out-of-your-seat jump as you cross the finishing line.

But what puts this game ahead of competition, such as MX Unleashed, is that it makes use of Xbox live, so you can pull a Superman, Scorpion or even a Nac Nac as you compete online against serious fans of this sport (half the US of A, then). MTX:Mototrax is everything you have come to expect from a motocross game, but not that much more. Play is fun and fast but doesn’t really deserve winning honours.